Saliva-ejector



C. H. SEEGER.v SALIVA EJE'CTOR.

APPLICATION rmzo IAN-12, 1920.

1,388,312. Patented Au 23,1921.

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' UNITED I sures .P A OFFICE.

emu. H. snnenn, or MANITOWOG, WISCONSIN.

SALIVA-EJECTOR.

To all wlizin it may 06mm Be it known'that I, CARL I I. Snnenn, a

v citizen'of the United States, andresident of Manitowoc, in the county ofManitowoc and State of-Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Saliva- Ejectors; and I do hereby" declare that the following-is a full, clear, and exact description thereofy My invention relates to new and useful improvements in dental appliances, more particularly in saliva ejectors Manydevices which are at present in use are rigid so that itis impossibleto enable them to conform to the shape and movements of a patients mouth. Furthermore their rigidity tends to'tire the muscles of the mouth, and owing to the inflexible nature of theintake end of the device, the flesh of the mouth is frequently suckedinto the intake apertures, thus clogging the same and preventing thorough operation. Furthermore when this condition arises the flesh of the patientsmouth is usually afiected so as to cause bleeding. Suchejectors because of their rigid nature are not adapted to operate at different points in the patients mouh so 1 that the effective use of such devices is lim- The main purpose of the; present invention is to overcome all of these defects, and'thisisprimarily carried out by providing a flexible tube having suflicient rigidity to permit its being retained in various adjusted shapes. In this manner the softness of the tube'will eliminate possibilities of the muscles of a patients mouth becoming cramped or tired, while its stiffness permits it to be shaped for use in various parts of the mouth. A soft intake end obviates to a considerable extent the closing of the intake apertures as above mentioned. I

lVith these general objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangementof parts-which will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed and shown in the drawing, wherein:

The'figure represents a side elevational view, partly in section, of the preferred embodiment of my saliva ejector, the figure also showing in dot-and-dash lines the manner in which the device may be in different shapes.

In the drawing only that part of the ejector which is adapted to be disposed in or ad- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 23, 1 921. Application filed January 12,1920. Serial No. 350,850.

jacent to a persons mouth is illustrated. It I The ejector comprises particularly an' outer flexible tube 1 of rubber or the like,

andan inner metallic tube 2 of smaller di-. .ameter., The soft flexible outer tube 1 forms a sheathing for the more rigid metallic inner tube 2, but the latter is of such material that it is readily bendable so as to shape the ,ejector'as desired and retain it, in such shape. The mouth end of the metallic tube 2' terminates inwardly of the similar end of the outer tube 1 to form a mouth p1ece 3, the end of which isopen as at 4 and 1s provided with an annular series of intake apertures 5. Also spaced inwardly of'the mouth-piece 3 and surrounding the adjacent end of the tube 2 is a reinforcingfsleeve 6. This sleeve preferably consists of a metallic member of a diameter slightly larger than that of the tube 1 and slid thereinto as shown. It will not only prolong the period of usefulness of the mouth-piece 3, but will also prevent the collapsing thereof about the adjacent end of the metallicv tube 2.

.The opposite end of the outer tube 1 is provided with a'substantially similar reinforced sleeve 7, this sleeve, however, forming an arrangement whereby said outer tube 1 may be more easily slipped on or removed from the shouldered or reduced end 8 of a coupling member 9. The main portion of the coupling is adapted to have a suction hose slipped thereover as is customary in devices of this character.

The reduced end 8 of the coupling also acts'as a means for securing the outlet end of the tube 2 to the coupling, this being carried out by sliding the tube 2 into the bore of the reduced end 8. The outer tube 1, or rather the space between it and the inner tube 2 is vented as at 10 by forming a groove through the reduced end 8 and the adjacent part of the coupling 9.

In the use of the invention, assuming that the coupling 9 is connected with suitable. suction means, the tubes 1 and 2 are bent into the desired shape to provide the re"- quired type of the device, the parts remaining in this position in view of the necessary rigidity in the tube 2, whereupon the mouthpiece 3 is inserted within the patients mouth to remove excess saliva therefrom. If through any cause the open end of the mouth piece 3 and the inlet apertures 5 become closed or clogged, excessive suction on the flesh of the persons mouth will not result owing to the vent 10 whereby outside air may be drawn into the tube 1 around the tube j2 and out of the same through said tube2. The possibility of excessive suction within the tube 2 is thusreadily obviated. The outer tube lbeing readily separable from the inner tube 2, the ejector is very sanitary as the parts are readily disconnect- I ed for cleaning purposes. 7

1 claim: 1. An ejector of the class described comprising a suction member having an inner tube of bendable metal, and an outer sheath-V ing of soft yielding material, the outer sheathing being extendedat one end beyond the end of the inner tube to form a mouthpiece, an air inlet opening in said inner tube, and means for connecting said 1nner tube with a suction producing device.

'2. An ejector of the class described comprising a suction member having an inner tube of pliable material, and an outer tube disposed around the. inner tube, and spaced therefrom, the outer tube being extended at vone end beyondthe end of the inner tube to form a mouthpiece, an air inlet opening in said outer tube, and means for connecting said inner tube with a suction producing device.

3. Anejector of the class described comprising .a suction member having an inner tube of pliable material, and an outer tube of yielding material disposed around the inner tube and spaced therefrom, the outer tube being extended at one end beyond the end of the inner tube to form a mouthpiece, and means for connecting said inner tube with a suction producing device.

I 4. An ejector of the class described comi tube, the outer tube being extended atone end beyond the end of the inner tube to form a mouthpiece, and means for connecting said inner tube with a suction producing device, said outer non-metallic tube being slidable from the inner metallic tube to permit cleaning of the parts.

6. An ejector of the class described tube disposed around the inner tube and comprising a suction member including a'n'inner' having one end connected with said coupling member, the other end beingextended beyond the adjacent end of the inner-tube to form a mouth-piece, said coupling member being adapted to have a suction means .connected therewithto create a suctionin the inner and outer tubes,-the' latter havingan air'inlet vent.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in

consin.

the county of Milwaukee and State of-WVis- 

